“Men are going to Heaven or to Hell and it is time that we came to close grips with them about this all-important matter. God help us to do so!”

Charles H. Spurgeon —1893

Will it work?

That's the key question as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu finishes his high-profile trip to Washington, meeting with President Obama, addressing 10,000-plus pro-Israel activists at the AIPAC Policy Conference, addressing a Joint Session of Congress, and doing a flurry of major media interviews. Will his passionate case that Israel is America's best friend, the only solid and secure democracy in the Middle East, endangered by Iranian nukes, and in need of unwavering American friendship and support in tumultuous times fully convince the President, the Congress and the American people to stand with Israel through the darkest of times that are steadily approaching?

I would like to believe this will be the case, but Bible prophecy says otherwise.

The Hebrew Prophets such as Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Joel tell us again and again that Israel will be all alone in the last days of history. All the nations will eventually turn against her. All the nations will work to divide the Land of Israel. Jerusalem, too, will be divided. The New Testament reconfirms this. Indeed, the Scriptures indicate that the only hope for Israel is for her to turn fully and completely to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As the "time of Jacob's troubles" approaches - as the Day of the Lord approaches - the Bible tells us that the nations will betray the Jewish people. Only the Lord will be faithful. The question is, when the dark times come will Israelis turn their hearts to the Lord?

The Hebrew Prophet Joel warned us that the Lord is going to judge "all the nations" because "they have divided up My Land." (Joel 3:2) Yet Joel doesn't call Israel to political activism, to international diplomacy, to military adventurism, or any other human endeavor. The Lord says through the Prophet Joel, "'Yet even now, return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments'…Now, return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil." (Joel 2:12-13) And if Israel does this, Joel tells us: "Then the Lord will be zealous for His land and will have pity on His people." (Joel 2:18, 27)

The Prime Minister's speech to Congress was excellent in many ways. He rightly described the "epic battle" underway in the epicenter. He described a great shaking going on in the Middle East. He rightly warned that Iran and her nuclear program is the greatest threat, that Hamas is the new al Qaeda, and that in all of the Arab world, only Israeli Arabs have true safety, security, and fully protected human and civil rights. I've included some important excerpts from the speech below.

However, it should be noted that Netanyahu never cited the Bible, never called on the name of the Lord, and never called the Jewish people to trust fully and completely in the God of Israel, but rather promised to divide the land of Israel as a concession to the Palestinians, even while promising never to divide Jerusalem. These were mistakes. He wasn't the first Israeli Prime Minister to make them. But he is making them nonetheless. He was right to thank the U.S. for all our help and support of Israel over the years, and he was right to seek continued help and support from the American people and government. But neither he nor Israel should become dependent upon American help because the Bible tells us it won't be there for long.

The Bible is clear: only the Lord will save Israel. It is time for Israelis to consider this very carefully. For time is short. "The Day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near." (Joel 2:1)

My thanks to Joel Rosenberg for this very insightful article.

"I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle." Zechariah 14:2

"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of My people and My heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up My land, and have cast lots for My people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it." Joel 3

President Obama threw Israel overboard as he demanded that Israel must make major concessions to achieve peace in the region. When you cut through his rhetoric, Obama believes that Israel must make major concessions that include Jerusalem and the right of return so there can be peace.

Obama rejected the notion that the coming together of Fatah and Hamas is a deal breaker. He called it a legitimate question (How can Israel come to agreement with Hamas that does not recognize the State of Israel?) but he believes there is an answer to this question that will allow Israel to negotiate with Hamas. He gave lip service to the idea of a Jewish State and to Israel's security but he emphatically stated that the the indefensible borders of the 1967 (with undefined adjustments) will be the borders of the State of Israel and the new Palestinian State.

Before Obama gave the speech, the consensus of opinion said that he would not get specific when talking about Israel and the Palestinians. The commentators were wrong. While saying that the sides must come to terms on their own, Obama created a box that hems in Israel and allows the enemies of America (Fatah and Hamas) to reap the benefits.

Obama is the consummate mass politician. He understands that it is important to gain the support of the masses to strengthen one's position. His speech was an exercise in gaining the upper hand over Israel. He showed the Arab world and Israel's opponents in Europe that he will bushwhack an ally to get what he wants.

American is no longer Israel's guardian. Obama 'said' that he would guarantee Israel's security but after this speech would anyone believe that he would keep this commitment?

As mass demonstrations shake the Arab world, demonstrations that may create serious problems for Israel's security, Israel's friends felt that during these unsettled times and the Hamas/Fatah coming together there should be a timeout on talks with the Palestinians that were going nowhere. However, Obama has come down on the side that now is the time to go full steam ahead and Israel must take the lead in concessions.

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Psalm 122:6
[edited from One Jerusalem commentary]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has determined to push back hard against President Obama at the White House today, a day after the American president called for Israel to return to the peace table and make difficult territorial concessions to the Palestinians.

The conservative Jerusalem Post summed it up as "The speech that signals a Washington-Jerusalem collision."

"FOR BEHOLD, in those days and at that time when I shall reverse the captivity and restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and there will I deal with and execute judgment upon them for their treatment of My people and of My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and because they have divided My land." Joel 3:1-2

As America deals with record flooding and millions of acres of farm land lost. As America's food supply dwindle, as we watch nightly news reports of droughts, fires, floods, hail, cold, tornado's, storms and overflowing rains. As we see both Haiti and Japan dealing with catastrophic disasters, don't look out, look up and look in, inwardly, inside your heart, examine that which remains.

Wake up all you who call yourselves Christians  - WAKE UP.!!...

"IF my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Excerpts from speech by:
Geert Wilders, Cornerstone Church,
Nashville, Tennessee:

"The day when America follows the example of Europe and Canada and introduces so-called "hate speech crimes" which is only used to punish people who are critical of Islam, that day America will have lost its freedom.

I travel the world to tell people what Europe has become. I am here today with an unpleasant message. I am here with a warning. I am here with a battle cry: "Wake up, Islam is at your gate." Islam is an ideology of conquest. It uses two methods to achieve this goal: the first method is the sword, the second, immigration.

Islam is spreading like wildfire wherever people lack the guts to say that their values are better than the Islamic values. Islam is spreading like wildfire because the Koran explicitly tells Muslims that they are "the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind" and that non-Muslims are "the worst of creatures." Islam is spreading like wildfire everywhere in the West where political, academic, cultural and media elites lack the guts to proudly proclaim, as I believe we all should proclaim: Our Judeo-Christian Western culture is far better and far superior to the Islamic culture. We must be proud to say so!

You and I, Americans and Europeans, we belong to a common Western culture. We share the ideas and ideals of our common Judeo-Christian heritage. In order to pass this heritage on to our children and grandchildren, we must stand together, side by side, in our struggle against Islamic barbarism.

What we need is a spirit of resistance. Why? Because resistance to evil is our moral duty. This resistance begins with expressing our solidarity to Christians, Jews, indeed, to all people worldwide, who are the victims of Islam.

We will stand firm,we will stand together.We will not submit. Never. Not in Israel, not in Europe, not in America. Nowhere. We will survive. We will stop Islam.  We will defend our freedoms. We will remain free."

We must.!.

Ben-hadad, King of Syria, declared war on Israel and marched against them with a great army. [2 Kings 6]As his forces advanced, he often called his war counsel into his private chambers to plan the next day's strategy. But the prophet Elisha kept sending word to the King of Israel, detailing every move of the enemy troops. In fact, on several occasions, the Israelites escaped defeat because of Elisha's warnings.

Ben-hadad was furious and called his servants together. "Tell me who is revealing our plans to the King of Israel! Who is this traitor?” The servants
told him, "It's not what you think, my lord. There is no traitor in thy camp or in thy court; we are all true [loyal] men. The man of God [Elisha) is telling the King of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchambers" (2 Kings 6:12).

Ben-hadad immediately dispatched a host of horses, chariots, and soldiers to capture Elisha. "Go to Dothan and bring him to me," he demanded. They went by night and surrounded the city, intending to take the old prophet by surprise, but Elisha's servant awakened early. When he saw that "an host encompassed the city both with horses and chariots" (vs. 15), he ran to Elisha in terror and cried, "Alas, my master, we are surrounded. What shall we do?"

Smiling confidently, Elisha replied, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2 Kings 6:16-17).

Like the psalmist, Elisha could stand in the midst of crisis and say with absolute assurance:

• "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about" (Psalm 3:6)

• "Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident" (Psalm 27:3)

• "He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me" (Psalm 55:18)

My prayer is that of Elisha: "Lord, open our eyes that we may see and behold not our valleys, but the mountains filled with the horses and chariots of fire—of the LORD of hosts!"

ObamaCare will require an RFID chip implanted in all of us. This chip will not only contain your personal information with tracking capability but it will also be linked to your bank account. Page 1004 of the new law (dictating the timing of this chip), reads, and I quote: “Not later than 36 months after the date of the enactment.” It is now the law of the land that by March 23, 2013 we will all be required to have an RFID chip underneath our skin and this chip will be link to our bank accounts as well as have our personal records and tracking capability built into it.

Read the entire article: http://rwpcnc.com/obamacare/

Is this the beginning:

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."  Revelation 13

Only time will tell, BUT:   Get Ready, Be Prepared and STAY alert.

One Church for One World. World Council of Churches , 1948:

“...change will probably be radical, if not total. Those whose lives are dedicated to serving the Church of the past will resist these suggestions with a vehemence that always emerges from threatened hierarchies and dying institutions…. But the seeds of resurrection are present in the exile, and in time those seeds will sprout and bloom. When they do, we will once again be able to see continuity between the Church of the past and the purged and opened church of the future.” [Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, Why Christianity Must Change or Die.]

To a twenty-first century world, bent on social unity and moral laxity, the cross stands as a divisive and humiliating obstacle. Attempts to minimize its offense through laws and intimidation have bullied both secular and church leaders into continual compromise. Public crosses are demolished,, removed or hidden. Bibles are forbidden in schools, the traditional days for celebrating the resurrection have been renamed "spring break," celebrations of His birth are now "winter breaks" and countless corporations and government agencies ban cross-shaped pins, jewelry, or even a mention of faith in Jesus.

Results-driven churches and Christian colleges are marketing new, more inclusive forms of Christianity. Afraid to offend unbelievers, they present a watered-down version of the gospel that veils the significance of the cross.

With church and education leaders paving the way, an “attitude of acceptance” has emerged. To the general public, politically correct spirituality and world government seem normal and necessary. Uniformity based on compromise has become far more acceptable – even in churches -- than Biblical unity based on the cross. And those who resist the new ideology are painted as enemies to peace and progress and touted as trouble makers. The church they once loved no longer exists and they clearly see the continuity between the church of the past and the purged and open church of 2011 -

The church of the future - One Church for One World.

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

[information gleaned from Berit Kjos articles, thanks Berit]

by J.C. Ryle

"Let us always remember, that baptism, church-membership, reception of the Lord's Supper, and a diligent use of the outward forms of Christianity, are not sufficient to save our souls. They are leaves, nothing but leaves, and without fruit will add to our condemnation. Like the fig leaves of which Adam and Eve made themselves garments, they will not hide the nakedness of our souls from the eye of an all-seeing God, or give us boldness when we stand before Him at the last day. No! we must bear fruit, or be lost forever.

There must be fruit in our hearts and fruit in our lives, the fruit of repentance toward God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and true holiness in our conversation. Without such fruits as these a profession of Christianity will only sink us lower into hell."

Great insite, food for thought, you decide.

Thanks David, Thanks Scott. Another home run.!.

"Europe and Turkey … Iron and clay? … Does the clay represent Islam? … We know that Turkey was the previous head of the Ottoman Empire. We know that Hitler worked closely with those within Islam during World War II. We also know that what has happened before, will happen again because God requires it to be so. There is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9 & 3:15)

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. Daniel 2:41 (KJV)

David and I know what the popular teachings are out there with regard to who the “woman” entity may be that rides the beast, the beast kingdom. We had never come to a solid conclusion and understanding with regard to who “she” is. However, several years ago we began to consider that it in fact could be Islam. This idea did not come from hearing any teaching given by man. As time continues to pass by, more evidences are being revealed that tends to point toward that this may very well be the case. Our Lord Jesus will surely reveal it to our human eyes as things continue to unfold here on earth.

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:3 (KJV)

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:7 (KJV)

"...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." Hebrews 12:1-2

"...when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them... when your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. ... you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’... Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods... you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 8:12-14, 17, 19-20

“We die daily,” said the apostle.

This was the life of the early Christians; they went everywhere with their lives in their hands. We are not in this day called to pass through the same fearful persecutions: if we were, the Lord would give us grace to bear the test; but the tests of Christian life, at the present moment, though outwardly not so terrible, are yet more likely to overcome us than even those of the fiery age.

We have to bear the sneer of the world - that is little; its blandishments, its soft words, its oily speeches, its fawning, its hypocrisy, are far worse. Our danger is lest we grow rich and become proud, lest we give ourselves up to the fashions of this present evil world, and lose our faith. Or if wealth be not the trial, worldly care is quite as mischievous. If we cannot be torn in pieces by the roaring lion, we may be hugged to death by the bear. The devil little cares which it is, so long as he destroys our love to Christ, and our confidence in him.

I fear that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her integrity in these soft and silken days than in those rougher times. We must be awake now, for we traverse the enchanted ground, and are most likely to fall asleep to our own undoing, unless our faith in Jesus be a reality, and our love to Jesus a vehement flame.

Many in these days of easy profession are likely to prove tares, and not wheat; hypocrites with fair masks on their faces, but not the true-born children of the living God. Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with watchfulness or with holy ardor; you need these things more than ever, and may God the eternal Spirit display his omnipotence in you, that you may be able to say, in all these softer things, as well as in the rougher,

“We are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

                               Charles Haddon Spurgeon